Opportunity Calling

THE call centre business has taken on the Indian market in a big way. It has provided tremendous employment opportunities, and according to The Nasscom-McKinsey report, the industry is expected to grow to Rs.20,000 crore by the year 2008. Multinationals are choosing India as their destination for Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) for call centres because of the huge talent pool of English speaking professionals and low labour cost in the country. This rapidly growing industry is showing great promise, giving the much-needed succor to flagging spirits after the IT meltdown.

Call centres usually undertake back-office work that is out- sourced by clients and companies abroad (especially in USA or UK). Call centre professionals handle inbound and outbound calls that may deal with selling products, providing support and customer care. Call centres also take on E-CRM projects that deal with providing online help and support through email and chat. Call centre professionals receive, answer, ask and reflect calls.

Their take ownership of a call and engage in what is known as `call resolution'. `First call resolution' which is the proper addressing of a customer's need the first time a call is placed without the need for subsequent calls is the goal of every call centre professional. It is vital for the success of the business. The average time spent in handling a call is known as the "talk time" and is an important metric in measuring performance.

Skills

Graduates with a good command over English language and a neutral accent are required in this field. A graduate degree in any discipline is accepted. An outgoing, assertive and communicative personality with good listening and cognitive skills makes for an ideal call centre professional. Patience and a pleasant manner of speech are needed. Some call centre jobs also require good keyboard and computer skills.

A large number of people treat call centre jobs as a stop-gap profession or a mere stepping stones to their next career. For freshers it is a good break and an opportunity to get international exposure. After gaining experience in this line, one can move into the service industry and take on customer care jobs.

Those who wish to make it their career choice need to develop a love for the profession. A right attitude to go along with this is also essential. Excellent English language and communication skills are mandatory. Sensitivity to customer needs, a good amount of intuitive skills and the ability to `think on your feet' to provide solutions is required.

Requirements

The field has its own unique challenges and downsides. Professionals are often required to work night shifts and odd hours. This can be inconvenient as the body's biorhythm is disturbed. If sufficient care is not taken to maintain a balanced diet, with adequate exercise and sleep, the schedule can adversely affect health. Social life can come to a grinding halt, as work hours can be long and exhausting.

But then, there are the upsides too. One gets an opportunity to work with leading multinationals and interact with professionals of international calibre. The work culture is often energetic and open, with a lot of room for interaction and growth. Monetary rewards are also significant and often accompanied by other perks like pick-up facilities, lunch and snacks, a five-day week, and other such bonuses.

A fresh graduate can expect to earn a salary of Rs.8,000- 12,000 a month. Those already trained can negotiate for a higher salary. Career growth in this field is quick and companies recruit manpower at regular intervals. If you are a consistent performer you can expect to be promoted in a year's time. The hierarchy includes a team leader, supervisor, shift manager and manager. A manager can earn up to Rs.40,000 a month. One can also consider a lateral shift to other departments or fields after working for larger companies for a while.

Major players include GE, Spectramind, AmEx, EXLService, HSBC, Dell and iEnergiser. According to a report, call centre jobs will treble this year. Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and Delhi are some of the cities which have been emerging as centres and most of the large call centres are located in these places. Call centre training is also emerging as an important support service. Individual and corporate trainers are in great demand. Since Indian call centres provide world-class services, training also needs to meet high standards. Aptech and STI Knowledge are providing training and certification. The Andhra and Kerala government have set up exclusive departments to encourage and develop these services in their states.

ARCHANA JAYAKAR

archana.hyd@cxknetworks.com